This invention relates to a small snowmobile and a drive arrangement therefor and more particularly to an improved power unit and transmission mechanism for a small snowmobile.
As is well known, snowmobiles are highly popular vehicles. Snowmobiles are used for a wide variety for recreational and work purposes. As the popularity of snowmobiles has grown, the size and power output of these machines has grown proportionately. As a result, many of the snowmobiles now sold are very large machines and are designed so as to accommodate plural riders. Although such large and heavy machines have great appeal, there is an interest in a smaller lighter machine that can be conveniently operated and used by a single person. The advantages of such small light weight machines should be readily apparent.
In order to provide a small light weight snowmobile it is still necessary to provide an effective power unit for it. The type of power unit employed for small motor scooters that consist primarily of a single cylinder internal combustion engine and a continuously variable belt type transmission provides an excellent power unit for small snowmobiles. It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide a small snowmobile design which is capable of being powered by the engine variable speed drive of the type normally used in a motor scooter.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved simplified and light weight power unit for a small snowmobile.
As the size of conventional snowmobiles has grown and the power units have become larger, it has been the practice to employ electric starters for this type of machine. However, the provision of an electrical starter gives rise to the necessity of providing a charging system for a battery to power the starter and also add significantly to the weight of the machine. Although pull type starters have been employed for snowmobiles, such starters are not particularly convenient.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved kick starter mechanism that can be utilized with a small snowmobile.